Hayden Buckley SEC Championship Practice Round April 14, 2016Hayden Buckley SEC Championship Practice Round April 14, 2016
Men's Golf

Buckley Wins National Amateur Tournament in St. Petersburg

Junior Hayden Buckley (Belden, Miss.) turned in a championship-level performance to bring home top honors at the 91st New Year's Invitational (Jan. 5-8), a yearly amateur event held at the St. Petersburg Country Club. Buckley fired in a 6-under-par 282 to claim the tournament crown.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Junior Hayden Buckley (Belden, Miss.) turned in a championship-level performance to bring home top honors at the 91st New Year's Invitational (Jan. 5-8), a yearly amateur event held at the St. Petersburg Country Club. Buckley fired in a 6-under-par 282 to claim the tournament crown.

Buckley (68-69-71-74 -- 282) played superb golf in the opening rounds, shooting a 68 and a 69 on the first and second days of the event. After a 1-under-par 71 on the event's third day, it all came down to Sunday's fourth and final round.  

The seasoned Tiger outlasted others in the field amidst poor playing conditions in the overall Tampa area, with his 2-over-par 74 still leaving him in fair enough condition to top individual runner-up Peyton Wilhoit of Southern Illinois by two strokes.

Past champions of the New Year's Invitational include PGA Tour members J.B. Holmes, Brandt Snedeker and Jeff Overton.

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